The Himalayan Hospital at Jolly Grant organised a programme to mark the national organ donation day on Saturday. The hospital management felicitated all those who had donated theirkidney for kidney transplant operations carried out in the hospital.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the Swami Rama Himalayan University pro vice chancellor Vijendra Chauhan said that India has been celebrating November 27 as national organ donation day for the past 10 years. The main aim of this day is to raise public awareness on organ donation to make them realise that there is no alternative to organ donation. The liver, heart, cornea, pancreas and lungs of a brain dead person can give life to a number of people, he added.

Chief medical superintendent of Himalayan Hospital Dr SK Jethani said that donation of organ and body enables a person even after death to save someone else’s life. He informed that in Uttarakhand, only the Himalayan Hospital has the permission to perform kidney transplantation operations which are conducted successfully here. Efforts are also being undertaken to provide liver transplant facility in the hospital in the near future, he added.

Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences dean Dr Mushtaq Ahmed said that lack of awareness is the main reason behind lack of organ donation. Despite awareness efforts by various organisations, a large proportion of the population remains unaware. He exhorted those who had undergone transplants at the Himalayan Hospital to raise awareness among people in their respective areas.

Families with members who had undergone kidney transplant also shared their experiences with the gathering on the occasion.